All the News We Can Find on Marriage Equality & LGBT Rights

POP CULTURE: A production of Shrek The Musical in Canada must change its script after using the word ‘tranny’. full story

IRELAND: At least two gay couples are getting married every day in Ireland since it was legalised last year. full story

KENYA: A Kenyan rights group says it is going to court to decriminalize gay sexual relations between consenting adults. full story

UKRAINE: A gay couple has married in Ukraine, despite the fact that the country does not legally recognise their union. full story

UK, NORTHERN IRELAND: Marriage equality is a Northern Ireland Assembly election issue, campaigners said yesterday as they launched Love Equality, a new political campaign which aims to deliver equal marriage rights for same-sex couples. full story

USA: The U.S. Office of Personnel Management announced on Thursday it has revised the definition of the term “spouse” in federal regulations to strengthen an earlier policy change allowing federal employees with same-sex spouses to use the Family and Medical Leave Act. full story

USA, MICHIGAN: http://www.gaystarnews.com/article/bruce-springsteen-warns-michigan-not-pass-anti-lgbti-bathroom-bill/#rssowlmlink full story

USA, NORTH CAROLINA: Today, the Human Rights Campaign and Equality NC announced that executives from the American Express Company, AXA Financial Inc., Bloomberg L.P., Capital One, Classical American Homes Preservation Trust, Campbell Soup Company, CohnReznick LLP, CrowdRise, eMaint Enterprises, LLC, Ernst & Young LLP, the Estée Lauder Companies, Inc., John Hancock Financial, Kohler Co., Logitech, Plum Organics, RBC Capital Markets, REI, Strava Inc., The Hartford, Time Warner Cable, United Airlines, Visa Inc. and Williams-Sonoma, Inc. have signed onto an open letter that now includes more than 160 leading CEOs and business leaders urging Governor Pat McCrory and the North Carolina General Assembly to repeal the radical provisions in the deeply discriminatory law that was rammed through the legislature on March 23rd. full story

USA, NORTH CAROLINA: Ted Cruz was evasive on Thursday under questioning over whether he supports North Carolina’s recently enacted anti-LGBT law, but indicated he think the statute is “perfectly reasonable” and lamented Democrats won’t join Republicans to enable discrimination in the name of religious liberty. full story

USA, NORTH CAROLINA: Duran Duran is going to push for the repeal of the state’s new anti-LGBTIQA law at Saturday’s Charlotte concert. full story

USA, NORTH CAROLINA: NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said Friday a North Carolina law that limits anti-discrimination protections for lesbian, gay and transgender people remains “problematic” for the league, but he said there is no decision on moving next year’s All-Star Game out of Charlotte. full story

USA, NORTH CAROLINA: NBA Commissioner Adam Silver announced Friday that while HB2 is “problematic,” moving the game would be, in his opinion, “grandstanding.” full story

USA, NORTH CAROLINA: But wait, maybe the NBA hasn’t decided yet? “At no time did Adam affirm that the league would not move the All-Star Game; rather he stressed repeatedly that the legislation is problematic, that we feel it is best to engage with the community to work towards a solution, that change is needed and we are hopeful that it will occur.” full story

USA, NORTH CAROLINA: The Canadian-based circus company Cirque du Soleil is cancelling upcoming stops in North Carolina by two of its touring shows to protest a state law that limits anti-discrimination protections for the LGBT community. full story

USA, NORTH CAROLINA: Nearly three dozen Minnesota state lawmakers signed a letter addressed to the governor of North Carolina, saying they support a recently enacted law that ties bathroom use to a person’s biological sex. full story

USA, NORTH CAROLINA: Here’s a list of celebs standing against the state, as well as others who took a different tact or are in the wait-and-see category. full story

USA, NORTH CAROLINA: The North Carolina law “overturns all state protections for gay and lesbians and puts new discrimination on the books,” according to Los Angeles Councilman Mike Bonin, who proposed the resolution that was approved on a 12-0 vote. full story

USA, PENNSYLVANIA: A number of same-sex couples joined by civil unions are having trouble getting un-joined, because the law hasn’t kept up with the rapidly changing social issue. Now, the Pennsylvania Superior Court has agreed to hear a case involving one such couple from Philadelphia. full story

USA, TEXAS: The Texas Supreme Court on Friday tossed out Attorney General Ken Paxton’s effort to undo the union of the first gay couple to legally wed in Texas. The court-ordered same-sex marriage of two Austin women had occurred months before such unions were legalized by the U.S. Supreme Court. full story

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Here’s our daily round-up of the marriage equality / LGBT rights stories from all around the internet. If we missed anything, let us know. Enjoy!

NATIONAL DAY OF SILENCE: Today is the Gay, Lesbian, and Straight Education Network’s Day of Silence, an annual silent protest of anti-LGBT bullying and harassment. Each year, tens of thousands of students participate by taking a daylong vow of silence at school and sharing speaking cards that raise awareness of anti-LGBT bullying. full story

HISTORY: The Roller? The False Transvestist? The Ship’s Queer? This list of ‘homosexual types’ is insane. Back in 1958, it turns out they were a little more creative than just your standard bear and twink. Stand-up comic Ivan Kirby shared this insane find on Twitter, a sociological report prepared for the Home Office in the UK. full story

POP CULTURE: Adam Lambert revealed in an interview with Digital Spy that the music industry still has a stigma against gay men singing about men in love songs. full story

BERMUDA: A two-question ballot — which will ask whether voters are in favour of same-sex marriage and whether they are in favour of same-sex civil unions — is likely to take place on Thursday, June 23rd. full story

CHINA: Though it was dismissed by the court in Changsha, China’s first legal challenge to a law limiting marriage to opposite-sex couples has galvanized many of the hundreds of young Chinese gay rights supporters who gathered at the courthouse, some of them waving small rainbow flags. full story

AUSTRALIA: The Australian Christian Lobby (ACL) have been at the forefront of the attacks against the Safe Schools program, claiming that homosexuality is unnatural, unhealthy, psychologically damaging and a barrage of other homophobic slurs. full story

AUSTRALIA: Two comedians are tying the knot tonight in a bid to highlight the marriage equality issue. Zoe Coombs Marr and Rhys Nicholson, both gay, will be legally marrying tonight at the Comedy Festival Club. full story

AUSTRALIA: Telstra chief executive Andrew Penn has attempted to downplay yesterday’s controversy by reinforcing the company’s support for marriage equality. full story

GERMANY: Stan and Olli, male king penguins, didn’t quite live up to the zookeepers’ plans for them to breed with the females at Berlin zoo. full story

UK: The head of Ofsted had admitted he has “never thought” about how to protect transgender students in bathrooms. full story

UK: Robert Hannigan, Director of British security agency GCHQ, used his morning speech to explain how GCHQ had become a more inclusive employer, and to apologize to former employees who had been dismissed because of their sexuality. full story

USA: Lesbian Country Singer Chely Wright said country musicians need to take a stand for the LGBT community and oppose bigoted laws. full story

USA: New data from the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has revealed that there was a 28% increase in discrimination complaints from LGBT employees. full story

USA: Ted Cruz supports anti-trans bathroom restrictions: “Men should not be going to the bathroom with little girls.” full story

USA: Following criticism that he hasn’t aided candidates down ballot from the presidential race, Bernie Sanders has announced three congressional hopefuls he supports — and two of them are seeking to defeat openly gay contenders. full story

USA: Tony Spence, director and editor-in-chief of Catholic News Service since 2004, unexpectedly resigned from that position Wednesday at the request of a U.S. bishops’ conference official, after tweets he had posted against so-called “religious freedom” bills in North Carolina and Georgia. full story

USA: According to a study, children of same-sex female parents fare the same as children of opposite-sex parents. full story

USA: Last night John Kasich reaffirmed his earlier statements that same-sex marriage is a settled issue. full story

USA, FLORIDA: Religious organizations are playing politics with the Florida Department of Children and Families and if they are successful, LGBT foster children lose. full story

USA, KENTUCKY: Kentucky’s governor on Wednesday signed into law a bill that removes county clerks’ names from the state marriage license forms at the center of a controversy involving an official jailed last year for refusing to issue licenses to gay couples. full story

USA, MARYLAND: The Maryland House of Delegates on March 9 passed the Equal Pay for Equal Work bill that contains protections based on gender identity by a 133-33 vote margin. full story

USA, MASSACHUSETTS: Republican Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker was heckled and booed when he failed to commit to legislation that would protect the rights of transgender people. full story

USA, MISSISSIPPI: Mississippi Governor Phil Bryant on Wednesday defended a controversial anti-gay bill he signed into law, saying that it was needed to protect ‘the churches’ full story

USA, MISSISSIPPI: Today, the Human Rights Campaign announced that more than 60 leading CEOS and business leaders, including executives from Bloomberg LP, CVS Health, Dropbox, Hilton Worldwide and Salesforce have signed onto an open letter calling on Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant, Lt. Gov. Tate Reeves, and House Speaker Philip A. Gunn to repeal H.B. 1523. H.B. 1523, the so-called “Religious Liberty Accommodations Act,” allows almost any individual or organization to use religion as a justification to discriminate against LGBT Mississippians in some of the most important aspects of their lives, including at work, at school, and in their communities. full story

USA, MISSISSIPPI/NORTH CAROLINA: Cincinnati City Council approved a measure to ban non-essential tax-funded travel to Mississippi and North Carolina by a 7-2 vote today. full story

USA, NORTH CAROLINA: Trans rock star Laura Jane Grace will not be joining artists like Bruce Springsteen in boycotting North Carolina, but instead plans to perform there to protest the state’s transphobic law. full story

USA, NORTH CAROLINA: Ani DiFranco is the latest musician to cancel an upcoming show in North Carolina in protest of the state’s anti-LGBT law. full story

USA, NORTH CAROLINA: Debra Messing is not happy about being made to film in North Carolina over the state’s anti-LGBT law.full story

USA, NORTH CAROLINA: Governor McCrory’s net approval rating now stands at -4%. 50% of likely voters oppose the new law while only 38% support it. full story

USA, NORTH CAROLINA: San Diego-based premiere consumer electronics audio company 1MORE USA Inc. has announced it will be boycotting sales to North Carolina until HB2 is repealed. full story

USA, NORTH CAROLINA: The Mumford and Sons band has said it will donate profits from a concert in North Carolina tonight to local LGBT charities.full story

USA, NORTH CAROLINA: A lesbian waitress in North Carolina has come forward to reveal she was ‘tipped’ with a Leviticus Bible verse instead of cash. full story

USA, NORTH CAROLINA: Charlotte shouldn’t be punished for an ordinance that was ultimately overturned by legislation preventing local and state governments from mandating protections for LGBT people, Mayor Jennifer Roberts said Thursday at a town hall meeting designed to rally support for the repeal of the controversial measure. full story

USA, NORTH CAROLINA: Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin, the stars of Netflix’s Grace and Frankie, said Thursday that they were ‘furious’ over a recently approved law in North Carolina that targets the LGBT community. full story

USA, NORTH CAROLINA: Yesterday a spokesman for North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory called the Human Rights Campaign “a shadowy, left-wing group funded by anonymous donors that is recklessly leading the charge to mislead the public and smear North Carolina.” Today we get the below HRC clip with calls McCrory out on his lies. full story

USA, SOUTH CAROLINA: Video of Spartanburg County Sheriff Chuck Wright speaking at the Greenville-Spartanburg Republican Women’s meeting shows the county’s top law enforcement officer threatening bodily harm to any transgender women who uses the ladies’ restroom in his presence. full story

USA, SOUTH CAROLINA: Caleb Laieski wrote an innocuous email to South Carolina legislator Mike Fair asking him to consider a ban on so-called conversion therapy. You won’t believe the response. full story

Here’s our daily round-up of the marriage equality / LGBT rights stories from all around the internet. If we missed anything, let us know. Enjoy!

COMMENTARY: Even folks who normally express support for LGBTQ rights are buying into specious arguments conservatives are pushing – because they don’t know the truth. full story

POP CULTURE: Without causing a fuss, a nice new ad for Google Calendar features a gay guy breaking up, getting over it, and then meeting someone new. full story

AUSTRALIA: First, Telstra winded back its support for same sex-marriage after pressure from the Catholic Church; one of its biggest clients. Then, a Telstra customer service representative identified homosexuality as an “ideology” and not a sexuality during online correspondence with a customer. full story

AUSTRALIA: Australia’s largest telco, Telstra, says it has abandoned its public campaign for marriage equality to allow clear air during the proposed plebiscite – not because of pressure from the Catholic church. full story

EUROPE: Hundreds of thousands of young Europeans have taken part in a EU-wide poll – and it’s found a lot more are open to gay sex than you might have expected. full story

USA: Faced with a lawsuit seeking a change in policy, the Social Security Administration has lifted the penalty on same-sex couples who received overpayment of benefits after the 2013 U.S. Supreme Court ruling against the Defense of Marriage Act. full story

USA: Legislation has been proposed in states across the country to protect those who — due to religious beliefs — decline to employ or serve certain people. Critics say the laws are aimed at the LGBT community and are discriminatory. Recent laws denounced as discriminatory in North Carolina and Mississippi have prompted a growing backlash from opponents. Here’s a look at legislation around the country. full story

USA: Some of the most famous players currently playing in the NFL are gay, according to former player and LGBTQ rights advocate Brendon Ayanbadejo. full story

USA: The White House declined to rule out federal funds being cut off in states with anti-LGBT laws. full story

USA: The Liberty Counsel group has helped author anti LGBTIQA measures in at least 20 states, “protecting” religion over sexual orientation, CBS reports. full story

USA, ALABAMA: Private adoption agencies in Alabama could turn away gay couples on religious grounds under a bill passed by a House Committee Wednesday. full story

USA, FLORIDA: It was another packed house at the April 12 Brevard School Board meeting, where supporters wearing red filled the room, pushing the Board to adopt district-wide LGBT protections. full story

USA, GEORGIA: Gov. Nathan Deal said the uproar in North Carolina and Mississippi over new laws that critics say curb gay rights should give supporters of the “religious liberty” measure in Georgia second thoughts, and warned that he’s willing to pull out the veto pen again next year if similar legislation lands on his desk. full story

USA, LOUISIANA: Governor John Bel Edwards’s executive order includes a religious exemption, however, and applies to state contractors but not other private employers. full story

USA, MASSACHUSETTS: The Senate in the US state of Massachusetts is set to debate a bill which would increase protections for trans people. full story

USA, MISSISSIPPI: Sharon Stone has ditched plans to make a movie in Mississippi over the state’s newly passed anti-LGBT law. full story

USA, MISSOURI: A bill that would allow businesses to discriminate against LGBT people in Missouri has stalled in committee full story

USA, NORTH CAROLINA: Ringo Starr won’t play in North Carolina – the former member of The Beatles followed Bruce Springsteen’s lead in canceling a concert in the state because of the anti-LGBTI law HB2. full story

USA, NORTH CAROLINA: I will be donating all of the profits from the show to Equality North Carolina’s efforts to repeal HB2 and I am proud of my manager and agent for joining me in this effort by donating their commissions from the show to this vital effort. full story

USA, NORTH CAROLINA: TurnOUT! North Carolina announced a series of town hall meetings across the Tar Heel State, focused on engaging and mobilizing pro-equality North Carolinians against House Bill 2 (H.B. 2) in the upcoming legislative session. full story

USA, NORTH CAROLINA: Protesters increased the level of noise surrounding the state’s new LGBT law Wednesday evening by setting off dozens of air horns at the governor’s mansion. full story

USA, NORTH CAROLINA: In response to a controversial new state law aimed at gay and transgender people, a group of firms designated as “Certified B” ethical corporations say they are canceling an annual CEO retreat, a street fair, and related meetings. full story

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Here’s our daily round-up of the marriage equality / LGBT rights stories from all around the internet. If we missed anything, let us know. Enjoy!

CORPORATIONS: Chariot for Women, a new ride sharing app for women only, launches in the Boston area on April 19, and welcomes trans women. full story

HISTORY: A history student in Brisbane has uncovered a 1932 newspaper article about same-sex couples getting married, and the reporter’s outrage is almost indistinguishable from the moral panic of today. full story

POP CULTURE: Adam Lambert has claimed that music industry execs are still ‘scared’ of letting gay artists express themselves through music. full story

AUSTRALIA: In February, the Australian anti-marriage equality group Marriage Alliance released an advertisement depicting a young woman in an office with a rainbow noose around her neck. The Advertising Standards Bureau (ASB) ruled on Monday that the group’s advertisement breached standards set in place. full story

AUSTRALIA: AUSTRALIAN telephone company Telstra has come under fire after it bowed to pressure from the Catholic Church over its public support of same-sex marriage. full story

CANADA: An openly gay and atheist Malaysian student has been granted refugee status in Canada after he was outed nationally by his own country’s media and disowned by his family. full story

CHINA: A judge ruled against a gay couple in China’s first same-sex marriage case that attracted several hundred supporters to the courthouse Wednesday in a landmark moment for the country’s emerging LGBT rights movement. full story

FRANCE: Air France is facing a rebellion from gay air stewards – who are refusing to fly on a new route to Iran. full story

LEBANON: Armed religious vigilantes are rounding up LGBTIQAs at checkpoints around Lebanon and passing them over to the police where they are beaten and humiliated. full story

MALAYSIA: Malaysia’s religious police, also known as the Federal Territories Islamic Department (JAWI), shut down a charity gala dinner organised and attended by transgender women in Kuala Lumpur on 3 April. full story

UK: The release of the results of British Muslim opinion survey caused shock. They revealed, among other things, that more than half the sample of British Muslims surveyed thought homosexuality should be made illegal. full story

USA: Conservatives have long squawked that the studies showing positive outcomes for the children of same-sex couples are lacking methodologically, instead offering their own flawed studies to claim negative consequences. A new study, however, uses their preferred methods — minus the flaws — and proves what the medical community has already long known: same-sex couples make great parents. full story

USA: Around half of all heterosexual men and women potentially carry so-called homosexuality genes that are passed on from one generation to the next. This has helped homosexuality to be present among humans throughout history and in all cultures, even though homosexual men normally do not have many descendants who can directly inherit their genes. full story

USA, CALIFORNIA: In an interview yesterday with the “John and Ken Show,” a Southern California talk radio program, Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, downplayed his opposition to marriage equality, saying that “of course” there should be no nationwide definition of marriage. full story

USA, COLORADO: Colorado is not joining at least six states that ban or limit psychotherapy which seeks to change the sexual orientation of minors. The Republican majority on a state Senate panel voted against a bill Monday to limit so-called gay conversion therapy. The bill would have banned its use on people under 18. full story

USA, INDIANA: The Indiana Republican Party is faced with the decision whether to change its official platform on same-sex marriage, amid divisive stances from members within. full story

USA, LOUISIANA: Louisiana’s version of the Mississippi’s religious law is up for debate Tuesday morning. House Bill 597, also known as the Pastor Protection Act, is a bill that would allow for pastors to refuse to marry same sex couples. full story

USA MISSISSIPPI,: Billy Ray Cyrus, country singer and father of out entertainer Miley, posted a message on his Facebook page in response to Mississippi’s antigay “religious freedom” bill. full story

USA, MISSISSIPPI: John Grisham and 95 Mississippi authors wrote an eloquent letter released Monday that Mississippi “has nourished intolerance and degradation and brutality, which has looked at difference as a threat.” full story

USA, MISSISSIPPI: American Idol winner Trent Harmon: “I think that you should treat all people equally and respectfully, and that’s what I do, and that’s what I’m going to continue to do no matter what law is passed.” full story

USA, MISSISSIPPI: The high consumption of gay pornography by residents of Mississippi on adult e-tail Web site GameLink.com is in stark contrast with the state’s recently signed anti-gay measures. Mississippi ranks #6 in the United States for gay pornography viewed on GameLink.com. full story

USA, MISSISSIPPI: The founders of the Mississippi Picnic in Central Park and the New York-Mississippi Society, are officially canceling this year’s picnic in its 37th year. full story

USA, MISSISSIPPI/NORTH CAROLINA: On Tuesday, Salt Lake City Mayor Jackie Biskupski and the city council drafted a letter encouraging businesses in these Southern states to relocate to Salt Lake City. The mayor also issued a memorandum forbidding city-funded or sponsored travel to Mississippi and North Carolina. full story

USA, MISSISSIPPI/NORTH CAROLINA: Miami Beach may be adding itself to the growing list of states, municipalities that have banned travel to North Carolina and Mississippi in response to new state laws directed at the lesbian, gay and transgender community. full story

USA, MISSOURI: Businesses from around Missouri announced the formation a coalition Tuesday designed to stop a “religious freedom” amendment to the state’s constitution currently making its way through the Missouri Legislature. full story

USA, NORTH CAROLINA: Deutsche Bank is freezing plans to create 250 new jobs at its Cary, North Carolina, location after the state passed a controversial law targeting lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) citizens. full story

USA, NORTH CAROLINA: Entertainer Jimmy Buffett says he’s not canceling two North Carolina concerts even though he thinks the state enacted a “stupid law” limiting protections for lesbians, gays and transgender people. full story

USA, NORTH CAROLINA: In response to HB2, North Carolina’s new law limiting anti-discrimination protections, the global community of nearly 1,700 Certified B Corporations announced Tuesday it will relocate a cluster of October events out of North Carolina. full story

USA, NORTH CAROLINA: North Carolina’s governor is standing firm on state’s anti-LGBT law – but as more and more businesses pull out of the state, it’s everyday North Carolinians who are suffering. full story

USA, NORTH CAROLINA: Two rainbow flags which had stood in front of a North Carolina church have been burned. full story

USA, NORTH CAROLINA: A group of North Carolina craft breweries is teaming up to make a special beer that will be sold to raise money to fight the state’s new House Bill 2 law. The News and Observer reports more than 30 breweries are taking part. full story

USA, NORTH CAROLINA: North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory did some damage control today, announcing that he has signed an executive order protecting LGBT state employees from discrimination. Today’s action does NOT, however, reinstate local LGBT protections nor does it override the so-called “bathroom bill” portion of HB 2. full story

USA, NORTH CAROLINA: Cyndi Lauper won’t boycott the state over its anti-LGBTIQA law. ‘I think that people would need us there. Wherever there’s a shut out, wherever people don’t accept other people, the other people need you.’ full story” target=”_blank”>full story

USA, NORTH CAROLINA: Charlotte pastor and congressional candidate Mark Harris and the Benham brothers, ardent Ted Cruz supporters, were one of the driving forces behind the passage of the anti LGBTIQA law. full story

USA, NORTH CAROLINA: Raleigh is banding with other cities across North Carolina to create an ad welcoming everyone to the state, after feeling the pinch from reactions to the new law. full story

USA, TENNESSEE: A Tennessee bill that would allow mental health therapists to turn away patients based on the counselors’ religious beliefs and personal principles passed Monday and is on its way to the governor. full story

Here’s our daily round-up of the marriage equality / LGBT rights stories from all around the internet. If we missed anything, let us know. Enjoy!

POP CULTURE: Cartoon series The Powerpuff Girls has featured a plot in which a transgender horse is convinced to transition to a unicorn – but becomes a monster instead. full story

POP CULTURE: Though he’s been featured as a supportive player in the recently rebooted Archie flagship comic title, Kevin will once again take center stage starring in his own comic book — this time as a special digital series, Life With Kevin, debuting in June. full story

UK: A UK charity that claims to help people manage “same-sex attraction” by abstaining from sex has insisted that it is not supporting “gay cure” therapy.full story

USA: Hillary Clinton’s newest campaign ad could be considered a counter-attack on the recent anti-LGBT legislation passed in North Carolina and Mississippi. full story

USA: John Kasich called for a little “more respect” and “more tolerance” rather than more legislation when asked a question during a campaign event Monday about protecting gay and transgender Americans. full story

USA, MISSOURI: Dave Simpson with Monsanto said the Missouri-based agrochemical company opposes a ballot measure that would protect businesses that discriminate, calling it ‘bad for business’. full story

USA, MISSISSIPPI: The Mississippi Hospitality and Restaurant Association (MHRA) announced the launch of a new campaign, ‘Everyone’s Welcome Here’, for the end of April. full story

USA, MISSISSIPPI: The Mississippi Economic and Tourism Recovery Act will be introduced Tuesday in an effort to repeal the state’s new anti LGBTIQA law. full story

USA, MISSISSIPPI: After Portland Mayor Charlie Hales announced he refuses to travel to Mississippi next month to commission the USS Portland over the state’s anti-gay laws, the Navy has announced the commissioning will take place in Portland. full story

USA, MISSISSIPPI: On many Sundays, conservative Mississippi Republican Gov. Phil Bryant can be found in the sanctuary at St. Mark’s United Methodist Church, almost always in his trademark suit and boots, often among those helping pass the offering plates. In the same sanctuary — sometimes just a few wooden pews away — are Jan Smith and Donna Phillips, a same-sex couple who are also active in the suburban Jackson church and have a 9-year-old daughter named Hannah. full story

USA, MISSISSIPPI/NORTH CAROLINA: A Cincinnati City Council committee paved the way for the city to ban travel to two states that passed laws seen as allowing discrimination. full story

USA, NORTH CAROLINA: Effective 12:30 a.m. on Monday, April 11, the adult film site XHampster.com began refusing service to anyone with a North Carolina IP address. Now, instead of porn, North Carolinians seeking to get their rocks off at XHampster are confronted with a link to a petition demanding the repeal of the state’s controversial anti-LGBTQ HB2 law. full story

USA, NORTH CAROLINA: Supporters and opponents of House Bill 2 are expected to congregate Monday near North Carolina’s Capitol. full story

USA, NORTH CAROLINA: On Friday, the head of Los Angeles Metro announced that his employees are banned from attending the American Public Transportation Association’s May convention in Charlotte. full story

USA, NORTH CAROLINA: Transgender North Carolinians are responding to the anti-LGBT law passed by state legislators in May, saying it villainizes them and addresses a “problem” that doesn’t exist. full story

USA, NORTH CAROLINA: In response to North Carolina passing of HB2, Planting Peace has constructed a message to North Carolina legislators and the anti-LGBT movement. full story

USA, NORTH CAROLINA: North Carolina Rep. Bill Richardson was one of the 11 Democrats to vote for his state’s anti-LGBT hate law. In an op-ed published today, Richardson says he is “haunted” by his vote and will now work for the law’s repeal. full story

USA, SOUTH CAROLINA/TENNESSEE: The Human Rights Campaign (HRC) has released a new video highlighting health care professionals who are speaking out against dangerous legislation targeting transgender students – including bills currently pending in Tennessee and South Carolina. full story

USA, TENNESSEE: One of the Tennessee Republicans behind proposed legislation mandating which restrooms trans students can use has been effectively separated from women by the state House speaker. full story

USA, TENNESSEE: ome of the biggest stars in the country music industry are uniting with pediatricians and child welfare advocates, civil rights organizations, the business community and supporters of equality to oppose legislation in Tennessee attacking transgender students in public schools and universities. full story

USA, TENNESSEE: Tennessee Attorney General Herbery Slattery III, a Republican, offered in an opinion Monday his views the measure could cost the state funding under Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972. full story

USA, TENNESSEE: Nashville’s Mayor Megan Barry has released an official statement decrying Tennessee’s recently passed anti-transgender bills; she explains that these laws could potentially cause her city to lose millions in revenue. full story

Here’s our daily round-up of the marriage equality / LGBT rights stories from all around the internet. If we missed anything, let us know. Enjoy!

COMMENTARY: Evangelical Christians must be held accountable as accomplices in the suicides of those who are the targets of these abusive actions. full story

CHINA: A Chinese arbitration panel held a hearing Monday in what is believed to be the country’s first transgender employment discrimination case, according to the lawyer in the case. full story

JAMAICA: The number of people in Jamaica who “hate or reject” homosexual relationships has risen over 20% since 2011, a new survey has revealed. full story

MOROCCO: More than 70,000 have signed a petition in support of two Moroccan men arrested under the country’s anti-gay law after being brutally attacked in their own home. full story

NIGERIA: The Nigerian Government is to investigate claims that Switzerland’s Ambassador to the country is living with his husband. full story

NORWAY: The Church of Norway is expected to approve a motion that would allow same-sex couples to marry in the country’s churches. full story

UK: A lesbian has said she was kicked out of a McDonald’s for using the women’s toilets, after being mistaken for a man. full story

UK: A poll has found that half of Muslims in Britain want gay sex to be made illegal. full story

USA: Activist and author John Corvino debunked the “bathroom predator” myth on ABC’s This Week with George Stephanopoulos. full story

USA: Tony Perkins took to Fox News yesterday to once again lie about the anti-LGBT hate laws in Mississippi and North Carolina, which he claims actually prevent discrimination against Christians, who are now free to refuse to refuse LGBT customers without penalties. full story

USA, MISSISSIPPI: Canadian rocker Bryan Adams is canceling a performance this week in Mississippi, citing the state’s new law that allows religious groups and some private businesses to refuse service to gay couples. full story

USA, NORTH CAROLINA: The NBA just gave an ultimatum to North Carolina to drop its anti-LGBT law, or lose out on hosting the 2017 All Star Game. full story

USA, NORTH CAROLINA: The university announced it will abide by the state’s anti-LGBT law, requiring trans students to use bathrooms that don’t match their gender identity. But how will that policy be enforced? full story

USA, NORTH CAROLINA: Gov. Peter Shumlin has a message for the mammoth online banking company PayPal: Come to Vermont. full story

USA, TENNESSEE: Nashville’s first female mayor is speaking out against pending legislation that would require transgender students statewide to use the bathroom and locker room that does not match their gender identity. full story

Periodically we’ll feature one of our vendors here to let our readers know about some great people who can help you plan the perfect wedding:

DJ Keelez offers superior and affordable DJ/MC entertainment in the Greater Los Angeles area. With years of experience and high quality equipment, I am ready to make your wedding or civil ceremony a night you and your guests will never forget!
I discovered a love of music at an early age. Soon after that discovery, my love of music developed into an obsession of all things musical – that’s when I decided to learn how to DJ.

Since then I have been perfecting my skills and mastering the art of making people dance. I bring a “night club” style to your wedding reception which means that I mix new & classic hits together seamlessly; keeping the party going strong!

You’ll hear every genre represented, from some oldies to brand-new radio hits and all of your favorites in-between! I pride myself in being able to perfectly “read the dance floor” and play just the right song at just the right time.

I always give you a fair price that is within your budget, and will be there for you during the planning process to help you create the perfect agenda so there are no unexpected surprises. In addition, I will gracefully coordinate all of the evening’s events, making sure they run smoothly, so you and your guests can have a great time!

I am also an active member in the LGBT community, performing at night clubs, pride events and festivals all over California as well as multiple private events, weddings and civil ceremonies.

Here’s our daily round-up of the marriage equality / LGBT rights stories from all around the internet. If we missed anything, let us know. Enjoy!

POP CULTURE: La’Porsha Renae, this year’s (and the final, ever) American Idol runner-up, doesn’t agree with the LGBT ‘lifestyle’, she told reporters in a press interview on Friday following the series finale. full story

COLOMBIA: Two days ago the Colombian Constitutional Court ruled 6-3 to legalize same-sex marriage and while some formalities remain ahead before weddings can commence, Levis yesterday extended their congratulations with a cheeky hanky code image. full story

TUNISIA: Eight men who were arrested and charged with offences relating to gay sex have been released. full story

USA: In this video on Collin Factor’s YouTube channel, Factor and his friend Marvin discuss stereotypes of Asian men in the gay community, like ‘having a small penis’ and ‘being feminine’. full story

USA: Republican Presidential hopeful John Kasich has said he would not have signed a transgender “bathroom bill” into law. full story

USA, CALIFORNIA: A preliminary injunction hearing has been set for June 21 in the case of Rose Trevis v. Hawleywood’s Barbershop and Shaving Parlor, in which the plaintiff, a transgender man, alleges the self-described “old school barbershop” in Long Beach, Calif. discriminated against him on the basis of what the shop’s operators perceived as his gender. full story

USA, MISSISSIPPI: The co-host of ABC’s popular Good Morning America, and a Mississippi native, is opposed to the tate’s new law permitting discrimination against LGBTI residents based on religious convictions. full story

USA, NORTH CAROLINA: Since North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory signed a bill that regulates with who uses what bathrooms, LGBT activists are calling his office to check where they should go when they have to relieve themselves. full story

USA, NORTH CAROLINA: The North Carolina NAACP will hold a massive sit-in at the state legislature if HB2, the anti-LGBT bill, is not repealed by April 21, though the legislature is not officially supposed to reconvene until four days later on April 25. full story

USA, NORTH CAROLINA: The city of Charlotte has warned North Carolina that it is already losing out on business due to the state’s newly passed anti-LGBT law. full story

USA, NORTH CAROLINA: Amid continued outcry over the state’s recently enacted anti-LGBT law, Chris Sgro, executive director of Equality North Carolina, on Saturday announced he has been temporarily appointed for a seat on the state legislature. full story

USA, NORTH CAROLINA: Actor and comedian Joel McHale ripped North Carolina legislators last night at his show in Durham, NC, announcing that “every single dime I make tonight” would go to the LGBTQ Center as a show of protest against the anti-LGBT law passed there earlier this month. full story

USA, NORTH CAROLINA: The passing of North Carolina‘s House Bill 2 is a nightmarish horror show, true — but the story of Lennie and Pearl is a gentle reminder that love is real and occasionally even prevails. The couple — who have been together for over 49 years and just celebrated their first wedding anniversary– just so happen to hail from North Carolina, too. full story